One way the EHS Center assures vitality and growth within its research program has been to continue its commitment to its Pilot Projects Program. The Program's primary objectives are to: 1) increase the interests of OSU scientists to reduce the impact of environmental stress on human health, 2) encourage development of new lines of related innovative research and technologies, and 3) expand EHS Center interdisciplinary participation and collaborative science. The Pilot Projects Program provides the mechanism of support to fund the most meritorious of the pilot project research proposals. Over the years, proposals have been submitted to compete for EHS Center funding by both new and established investigators; applications from faculty not currently associated with the Center are encouraged. EHS Center funding allows scientists to get preliminary results that can strengthen those grant proposals that are subsequently submitted to other funding agencies. The record of successful continuation of related research through this pilot project mechanism validates the increasing financial investment made by the EHS Center. Of the 21 projects awarded funding during the six-year period 04/01/99-03/31/05 (years 32-37), 20 are now completed; of the 20 completed projects, 10 have continued as major research studies resulting in 13 grants being funded by other granting entities. In 2005, four proposals were submitted and reviewed. Because the Center was not renewed, none were funded. However, one meritorious application was subsequently funded by the OSU Faculty Senate Reserve Fund, and one application, developed with the grant writers' workshop in 2004, was funded as an R01 beginning this April after one resubmission.